No one laughs at God in a hospital
No one laughs at God in a war
No one's laughing at God when they're starving or freezing or so very poor

No one laughs at God when the doctor calls after some routine tests
No one's laughing at God
When it's gotten real late and their kid's not back from the party yet

No one laughs at God when their airplane start to uncontrollably shake
No one's laughing at God
When they see the one they love, hand in hand with someone else
And they hope that they're mistaken

No one laughs at God
When the cops knock on their door and they say we got some bad news, sir
No one's laughing at God when there's a famine or fire or flood

But God can be funny
At a cocktail party when listening to a good God-themed joke, or
Or when the crazies say He hates us
And they get so red in the head you think they're 'bout to choke
God can be funny
When told he'll give you money if you just pray the right way
And when presented like a genie who does magic like Houdini
Or grants wishes like Jiminy Cricket and Santa Claus
God can be so hilarious, ha ha
Ha ha

No one laughs at God in a hospital
No one laughs at God in a war
No one's laughing at God
When they've lost all they've got and they don't know what for

No one laughs at God on the day they realize
That the last sight they'll ever see is a pair of hateful eyes
No one's laughing at God when they're saying their goodbyes

But God can be funny
At a cocktail party when listening to a good God-themed joke, or
Or when the crazies say He hates us
And they get so red in the head you think they're 'bout to choke
God can be funny
When told he'll give you money if you just pray the right way
And when presented like a genie who does magic like Houdini
Or grants wishes like Jiminy Cricket and Santa Claus
God can be so hilarious

No one laughs at God in a hospital
No one laughs at God in a war
No one laughs at God in a hospital
No one laughs at God in a war
No one laughing at God in hospital
No one's laughing at God in a war
No one's laughing at God when they're starving or freezing or so very poor

No one's laughing at God
No one's laughing at God
No one's laughing at God, we're all laughing with God

188 Comments

My InterpretationI don't think this song is necessarily as pro-god as some people have suggested. I think it's more about human attitudes to god and religion than being about god himself.

The chorus is about the ridiculous perversions and commercialisations of religion, and how laughable the whole thing gets - all the paraphernalia, all the hatred it sparks, all the bullshit.

And then the verses are about the little jump of terror in your heart when you're staring something awful in the face and for a second you really wish someone was there to save you or help you - or you just wish that things were somehow in somebody's control, when in fact they really aren't. I think it's that primal terror in all of us that continues to give religion so much power despite all the ridiculous aspects of it.

I think that's what this song is about - what it is in people's hearts that makes them accept all the stupid parts of god, and why people just laugh at the ridiculous parts without ever rejecting religion. We'd rather be 'in on the joke', laughing with god, clinging to things that deep down we're not 100% sure are true, because the idea that we're all alone is too scary to bear.

I absolutely agree with your interpretation of the song as opposed to the others. It makes me think about how all over the world people are oppressed and live in a hell on earth, dying horrific deaths and watching all those around them suffer; and then people think that their prayers to God actually matter concerning the luxury car they want to buy, or please God get me out of this traffic I want to go home, etc...

So many people think this song seems pro-religious, and I definitely disagree. You could not have put it better, great post.

Just wanted to say that you phrased this exactly how I was thinking it. In times of trouble, we often become so desperate for anyone or anything to have control over a seemingly uncontrollable situation.

Thank you! I agree fully, and I'll add that the line "No one's laughing at God when they've lost all they got and they don't know what for" might even hold some anger twords the idea of god. but, I don't know.

I do agree with the thought of it being a neutral song (neither anti nor pro) I have to disagree about your interpretation of the lyric "No one's laughing at God when they've lost all they got and they don't know what for"

Often times, when people's lives are going great they mock God and hate him, but suddenly when things turn terrible, they are praying for everything to be better again. Kind of like how a lot of people take God's name in vain when they don't even believe in him...it's the weirdest thing ever.

"For men swear by one greater than themselves, and with them an oath given as confirmation is an end of every dispute." Hebrews 6:16

Well, no one's laughing AT God when they are hoping by some divine miracle, their misery will change, because they know by no power of man could anything be done. Perhaps she's singing about how people flip and flop in their relationship towards the idea of God or with God Himself.

it seems like you are coming closest to what i believe the meaning to be. I've heard her talk about the song and she has said that it is not pro or anti anything. she is like that a lot, which is awesome. the best art presents a question to its audience to answer for themselves. I think she is, as you say, just making observations of the relationships between humans and God. I think she is noticing that it is easy for people to laugh at the sillier parts of religion (and i think this is her actually giving a bit of a jab at religions' and society's silly interpretations of God) when everything is going great. Then she points out that in moments of terror, as you mention, people still turn to God for help. I think she is also taking notice that poor people are often more religious. People who don't know where their next meal is coming from are forced to put more faith is God because they have terror on a daily basis, where as many of us only think of God during the turbulence in an airplane. I think this is a needed insight, because many people look at the uneducated, poor, religious as just stupid people and the enlightened, educated, rich folks think they have evolved beyond religion and God (bill mahr, grr). She is saying, hey, people who believe in God need God, that doesn't mean they are stupid. We all need God sometimes, even if we don't believe in him. We make him silly sometimes, but he's ok with that too, he's always there for us to pray to even if he isn't really there at all.

I most definitely agree with you. I was just wondering about what this song means, and think people took this song really pro god, but I don't think it is. I think that it is purely an observation of how we think about God, and how we think about God as wonderful and powerful when we're asking for money or for him to grant us wishes, but when everything falls out from under us, he's not so magical anymore, he's not like santa or a genie, and we aren't laughing. Its brilliant.

Totally agree, this song is not pro-religeon at all, quite the contrary. I think the last line shows the true meaning behind the lyrics "we're all laughing with god", as opposed to laughing at him, which is what we should be doing. Not god per se, but of the idea of god. How can we think that there's someone up there calling the shots when terrible things happen all the time. To Regina people always stay on gods side and excuse him from horrible things that happen, when the idea of an all powerful and all good god allowing such things to happen is laughable. We should be laughing at god (or the idea of him anyway) but not laughing with him.

@lovebee I agree with the not-so-necesarily-as-pro-god-view. Well, the intention might have been pro-god, I don't know. But the song lyrics illustrate that it religion is made up by humans, and taken very serious in need. Religion is very popular in times of war, poverty, etc: When you're in complete misery, it's only human to assume there will be something that will just rescue you. But, sadly... you just die.

@lovebee I do not see though how this song is anti-religion. Just because religion is ridiculous and strange to human logic does not mean there's nothing to it. In the Bible God outright says that his wisdom has absolutely nothing in common with human logic, and he realizes that his works and decisions are super-easy to disregard or mock - that's the point.
It reminds me of that scene in Harry Potter, which I think is one of the most brilliant answers to the religion vs logic conundrum: Harry is in like a semi-heaven purgatory, and asks Dumbledore "hey, is this, like, FOR REAL? or is it all in my head?"
to which Dumbledore retorts "OF COURSE it's in your head!...but... why should that mean that it's not real?"
I think that this song is brilliant even from a pro-religion standpoint, because it's more a commentary on the human pereception of God, and how counter-intuitive and downright weird it is if you stop and think about it. It's not pro or anti, it's just pointing out "hey, religion is actually pretty weird guys." which is a compliment IMO.

Your analysis is accurate, but there is more than one conclusion to be drawn from said analysis.

General CommentLovee this song, so much!
I think the whole idea of God, to some people is a joke now a days.
All the Jesus and God jokes and such. And I think most of the song
is talking about how when you're put into serious situations like those,
you're not laughing anymore, what do you turn to?
But yeah I think she's also acknowledging God has a sense of humor, which is
very true.
I just loveee me some Reginaa <3

General CommentI don't think this song is about God, it's about people. People who, even when they don't believe in God, still turn to him when times are really bad. And other people (the "crazies") who just see God as someone who will grant their wishes.

The song doesn't really say anything about whether or not God actually exists... It's irrelevant.

General CommentLooking at some of the comments, it seems like everyone is interpreting this song based on what their beliefs already are. I may be judging wrong, but it becomes quite apparent who the atheists and theists are. I just find it interesting.
Anyway, looking at this song objectively, I don't believe Regina is trying to express any of her own religious views in this song, and if you're able to step outside of your own views then the meaning changes a little. When I first heard this song, I loved it. I'm a Christian, and I automatically took a Christian view on the meaning of the lyrics. But after actually reading them over, Regina is simply observing American society from a third person perspective. I agree with those saying it's neither pro- nor anti-God or religion, it's just a simple fact that people confidently joke about certain issues, but as soon as their faced with something that challenges them, their laughter stops and they try to cover their asses.

I agree. It also crossed my mind while reading interpretations that both theists and atheists view the same information in completely contradictory ways with disinterest in exercising the necessary level of insight to find the slightest bit of common ground.

General CommentAtheists don't laugh AT God (since they don't believe he exists, how can they laugh AT him?), they laugh at PEOPLE who believe in God.

In Regina's own words, they laugh at people who "get so red in the head you think that they're about to choke," they laugh at people who hope God will "give you money if you just pray the right way," and they laugh at people who think God is "like a genie who does magic like Houdini."

Indeed, Rowan Atkinson's "Amazing Jesus" sketch (google it on youtube) milks the latter joke brilliantly, suggesting Jesus' miracles, such as turning water into wine, were actually just the same as modern day "magic tricks."

Regina asserts these things actually ARE funny, which suggests the perspective of an UNBELIEVER. Believers do not assert that these things ARE "hilarious!"

And yet, while Regina asserts that God jokes are funny, she suggests that death, war, starvation, loss, etc are such painful human realities, that we will forsake our dismissive rationalist jokes about believers, and briefly become wannabe believers ourselves, in desperate moments.

Such is our desire for someone, anyone, to reach out a helping hand, when times are hard, that we will play the ultimate joke on ourselves. Our rational mind falters, embracing the construct of a non-apparent, probably non-existent God, for comfort.

We laugh, in those moments, at ourselves, at our rational mind: we are "LAUGHING WITH" this God-construct at ourselves, at rationality, at the human condition, at EVERYTHING.

I think this is the best interpretation of the meaning of this song so far!

This and adding the thoughts I believe to be the explanation of two different meanings for the first part :
1) Someone else already said that: if God is considered to be the cause of the troubles, you have no reason to laugh at Him, cause this is not funny at all. It is pretty painful. Then He is just a sarcastic being, and we are dammed.
2) Those who will not resent at God will take Him seriously and look for "His help in time of need"

The chorus is DEFINITELY about people who believe in God but actually picture Him in a very tragicomic way - and who in a sane mind would wanna believe in such a hateful and pathetic god anyway?

And if Regina is as smart as I am thinking she is, she meant it all both ways. Dualistic, ambivalent, tricky and ironic. DonÂ´t you think?
Too bad it is missing another point of view on God, but it comforts me that the song isnÂ´t about God. It is about religion and how humans didnÂ´t find yet a wise way to go about this topic, it is mostly contradictory, hateful, pathetic and shallow.

To close it, I agree with both views that say that the "we are all laughing with God" is
1) the childish excuse "we are not laughing at You God"
2) the irony of being part of the whole religion joke ourselves.

Oh, if we could all know if there is a real God indeed and who is He after all...

General CommentI think there are a few layers to this song, and most have been touched on, but there is one that hasn't. I feel like she's not talking about being funny as in laugh-out-loud funny, but funny as in "hmm..." When God is presented like a wish-granting vending machine, or a pissed-off dictator who hates everyone, or someone who will make you rich if you pray some prayer, that should make us scratch our heads and maybe even laugh a little. Something is off there. Something is funny there, not right. I feel like "we're laughing with God" in that context, then, means that some folks cheapen God with their view of him, and it's laughable how inaccurate it is. So much so that even God has to laugh, and perhaps those who laugh "at God" - the atheist who doesn't believe in a magical man in the sky, the person walking down the street who hears the man yelling through a bullhorn on the streetcorner and thinks, "Ugh, that's not a God I want to follow," and the wounded ex-Christian who was burned by a pastor telling her God was going to send her to hell for loving other women - these views of God *should* be laughed at. They should be approached with frivolity, and ultimately rejected. Because they cheapen who God really is, and maybe God is laughing at those views of himself, too. Just some thoughts.

"...the atheist who doesn't believe in a magical man in the sky, the person walking down the street who hears the man yelling through a bullhorn on the streetcorner and thinks, "Ugh, that's not a God I want to follow," and the wounded ex-Christian who was burned by a pastor telling her God was going to send her to hell for loving other women - these views of God *should* be laughed at. They should be approached with frivolity, and ultimately rejected"
.
HAHA. We Christians don't believe in the 'magical man in the sky' either. We believe in God. One god. The only god. (And I would bet my life that YOU believe there may be ET life out there in the galaxy yet you don't believe there could be a god. SOOOO logical of you:) It's "wounded ex=Christians" who are the usual atheists; they were abused by parents or born with disease; challenges; etc. They are disgrungled and can't understand why God did not save them. God was VERY clear on homosexuality. The act is sinful. That is not hate on the part of God. It is what it is; those born with crosses must rise about them. Life is not fair. And although pastors should be preaching love and leaving the afterlife to God's judgment, they are not far off the mark; the bible contains few reference to homosexuality, and where it does the act is seen as unacceptable. Man with woman is the only constant through the Bible. And considering we've seen the spread of Aids mainly among homosexual men and drug abusers, I do believe God knew what He was talking about when it comes to partnering (and monogamy). So you can "laugh" at God and His teachings, but they are sound. And just because they are not easy (as talking is not easy with my gay friends and having to refrain from discussing gay rights and 'marriage'), we as Christians are STILL supposed to follow the teachings. God is not laughing when the sanctiy of marriage is violated; when the state passes laws that ridicule God's teachings; and when wayward, angry atheists mock Christianity and Christians. The song is about laughing WITH God, not at Him. But to an athesist as yourself who only stopped believing due to the hands of your born-again messed up parents, everything that comes out of your mouth is suspect (and dishonest to the core!)

"TurnMeOn"... you a Christian judging homosexuals and using a user name totally connected with sex? Unless you are married and meant it to be for your husband, just the fact that you think about it with a man who is not your husband makes you an adulterous and a sinner according to the same Bible that condemns homosexuals.

Nothing personal, I am just pointing this out to make a point of what I really meant to write here: I think you misunderstood cattielovesÂ´ comment and was a little to harsh on her.

What I like about this site is how respectful people tend to be with each other even if they totally disagree in point of views.
If you are really a Christian, please keep the standard high and be respectful.
No personal attacking here towards someoneÂ´s commentary ok? That is a very bad picture of a Christian... no atheists had that attitude here so far.

Ps: I am assuming you are a woman for the content and way of thinking, but please forgive me if I made a mistake.

I assume you are prone to accept we all make mistakes, like you probably do when assuming so many wrong things about people like on your commentary above.

We do make a lot of bad judgment and wrong assumptions. Thank God we are both Christians and understand the need of humbleness and forgiveness right?

Ps2: cattielove is obviously not an atheist. If she was, sheÂ´d never write God with capital letters. Only people who believe He is a person with a proper name do that. And her argument quoted and misunderstood by you is not defending anything you might think is wrong. It is just putting things from the perspective of these people - like yourself pointed out: very hurt people. And what do we offer for people who are hurting? Compassion. No more stones, thank you.

The only angry person in the commentaries here IÂ´ve seen so far was you (and IÂ´ve surely read more than 200). Not any atheist.
Please, think about it and reconsider your own prejudices in the topics you commented on. Your point of view and conclusions do not exhale the love and wisdom Jesus showed to sinner when he was on Earth. Not at all.

But we all make mistakes, donÂ´t we?
Hope God laughs at that sometimes. We should...

Ticy, I know who you are...a MALE self-described atheist, so you can pretend to be a Christian and fault me, but you and I both know who you are and how you like to deceive on this site (and on others). I judged no homosexual; I spoke as to God's teachings/stand on the subject...hate the sin but not the sinner. BTW, anyone who knows good grammar would capitalize God since it's a proper noun:) Good try attempting to deceive me with the user name; however, you've done better in the past. My conversation with you is OVER; besides, I do believe you have some young thang ready and waiting for another romp. Don't disapoint, Ken

General CommentI'm not really sure about the meaning yet. I think she's saying that everybody thinks God is so cruel for putting people through all these horrible things. But God can be funny and happy too, just no one remembers that in times of bad.
But that's just what I got from listening to it a few time, I might change my mind later :) But it's amazing and I'm so glad she brought back her old style a little more. It's a little bit of a mix between Songs and Soviet Kitch (Which are my two favorite albums)

Actually, i see it how a bunch of people make jokes about God, and how many people make fun of the religious people for believing in a God, but once they're but in dire situations, even those people start praying.
Like how "no one's laughing at God in a hospital"
this song is beautiful!!!!!!

General CommentI'm really amazed at how salient this religious aspect is within this song. It's quite cool!! and refreshing and unexpected, when so much other stuff out there is just lust and cheapness. But this is Regina!!

I agree with LovePeaceRachel and will say I definetley thinks this song is a representation of how people mock and laugh at God, taking him and the afterlife as a joke and non existent. Until something wrong happens and we realise that we're all really so vulnerable and affected by everything.
Pretty simple reading but I reckon it's great Regina's written a song on it.
So excited for Far!!

General Commenti'm surprised that so many people think this song is saying "there's no atheists in foxholes" more or less, that seems like the typical christian response -- overlooking, ignoring, or denying that God had any part in causing anything bad, and we all know that isn't true (well, those of us that have read one of the hundreds of translations of a "bible" and aren't brainwashed).

I see it more as God being a powerful bully who starts wars, famine, fires, floods... and people not laughing at him because he put them in a situation that isn't funny.

You're right to point out that the Bible shows God to be the ultimate cause for everything that happens. But it also points to people's selfishness, etc. as the more immediate cause. If no one was selfish, there would be no violence, for instance. And why would God delight in wars, famines, etc., only to tell his people to go give their lives to serve the victims of these things (which he does)? Just some thoughts.
Thanks for your post, and beautiful song, eh? ( :

hmmm. This makes sense. I could see how this would work with Regina's song trends but I personally disagree. I used to have the same view about God after studying a bit of the bible and I decided I hated him at a pretty early age, but after studying a lot more of it, my view has changed. I'd suggest looking into both the old and new testament more. Whether it changes your mind or not, I still think it would be beneficial to look into theology with an open mind. If you find that the truth is that you were right all along, then great. If you find something more, then that's also great. Either way, I'd like to hear about it and I'm sure a lot of other people would too.

hmmm. This makes sense. I could see how this would work with Regina's song trends but I personally disagree. I used to have the same view about God after studying a bit of the bible and I decided I hated him at a pretty early age, but after studying a lot more of it, my view has changed. I'd suggest looking into both the old and new testament more. Whether it changes your mind or not, I still think it would be beneficial to look into theology with an open mind. If you find that the truth is that you were right all along, then great. If you find something more, then that's also great. Either way, I'd like to hear about it and I'm sure a lot of other people would too.

Song MeaningThe first 50-or-so lines are pretty self-explanatory, and really serve as background leading up to the point of the song... the golden nugget: "No one's laughing at God/ We're all laughing with God"

When we make a punchline of someone, and realize that person is standing right behind us, we say, "we werent laughing at you!.... we were laughing *with* you!" It seems to me that the last lines mean to say that while in good times (cocktail parties), when we feel no need for a protector and guiding light, we may mistreat and devalue God by making a punchline of him, but during times of anguish and hardship (war), when we have no place to which to go and no one to whom to turn, we feel God's presence and our need for his help. Remembering or past indiscretions, we seek to cover our tracks and, in a way, ask for forgiveness and reconciliation, in order to beg for his guidance and intercession.

A song about tragedy, human vulnerability and mortality, but also, I believe, about the omnipresence of a loving benefactor, or at least, for those who don't believe, a security blanket (something which, in one form or another, we all need at some point in our lives). In beautiful contrast to the minor chord and accompanying despair throughout the bulk of the song, the final, major chord leaves me with a feeling of of hope and comfort, as if to say, "it'll all be OK."

In any event: quite a masterpiece Regina, to expand so simple an idea into a heartfelt, reflective piece such as this.